Plans for a second marijuana dispensary in Park Ridge moved another step forward this week after a tie-breaking vote by the city’s mayor.
Park Ridge Mayor Marty Maloney on Monday cast a vote in favor of a special-use permit for a recreational marijuana dispensary at the northwest corner of Higgins and Canfield Roads after aldermen tied 3-3 on the measure with 5th Ward Ald. Charlie Melidosian absent.
The vote angered the crowd of residents who had gathered at City Hall to object to the proposed dispensary’s location in their neighborhood. The group, which included several children, walked out as the vote was taking place, some yelling “for shame” at the council.
What the audience was not told was that the council’s vote was not its last.
A second vote is still required to formally approve the dispensary and, later during Monday’s meeting, it was decided the matter will return for a second vote on April 4 instead of March 21 so that all aldermen can potentially be present.
“Ald. Melidosian is pretty darn important,” Maloney said. “His attendance could change this where it wouldn’t be a tie and I wouldn’t vote (on the second reading).”
A recreational marijuana dispensary, which would operate under the name Bridge City Collective, is proposed for the former Park Ridge VFW hall at 10 W. Higgins Road. Plans call for remodeling the exterior and interior of the vacant building and using the existing parking lot for parking.
Voting in favor of the proposal were 1st Ward Ald. John Moran, 2nd Ward Ald. Fred Sanchez and 7th Ward Ald. Marty Joyce. Joyce represents the ward where the dispensary is proposed, but will be leaving the City Council in May.
“I think some of the other potential uses (for this property) won’t be popular with the locals either because they will generate traffic,” Joyce said. “At this point, I’m in favor of (the dispensary).”
Voting against the dispensary were 3rd Ward Ald. Gail Wilkening, 4th Ward Ald. Harmony Harrington and 6th Ward Ald. Rick Biagi.
“It’s the wrong location for our town,” Harrington said, her comments echoed by Biagi and receiving applause from the audience.
Prior to the vote, the council voted 4-2 in favor of rezoning 10 W. Higgins from residential to B2 business in order to accommodate a dispensary or another commercial use if the dispensary does not open.
Last month, all seven of the city’s aldermen voted to approve a recreational marijuana dispensary for 1036 W. Higgins Road, located just a half-mile to the west of the 10 W. Higgins site.
Unlike the 1036 W. Higgins dispensary, the new dispensary proposal generated objections from many neighbors. Concerns about traffic, crime, security, customers using marijuana products after they leave the dispensary and the nature of the business itself were expressed by nearly 30 speakers on Monday.
“I do not see any way a cannabis dispensary is good and proper for a residential neighborhood,” said Linden Avenue resident Wayne Allen.
“We don’t think the south end of Park Ridge should have two dispensaries within a mile of each other,” said Jim Convery, a Brickton Place resident. “The south end of Park Ridge should not be a dumping ground.”
Several residents said they did not want a dispensary so close to where a large number of children live, play and wait for the school bus.
“Do we want a business that requires multiple armed guards next to homes with children?” asked resident Susan Kavathas-Annes, who promised that she and other neighbors will protest in front of the dispensary if it is allowed to open and will “make it impossible to be a customer there.”
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Leonore Pietropinto acknowledged that she voted in support of allowing marijuana dispensaries in the city when the question appeared on the November 2020 election ballot, believing such businesses would be beneficial to vacant properties in Park Ridge, but was opposed to one so near her home.
“I was disheartened to hear (a dispensary) was coming to the end of my street, literally doors away from where my son rides his bike,” she said.
The close proximity to on- and off-ramps for the Kennedy Expressway was also an issue for some residents who said this would draw many more customers and cars than a dispensary not located next to a highway.
Representatives of the dispensary denied that the business will lead to more crime in the area and stressed that state-required security measures will be in place.
Park Ridge Police Chief Frank Kaminski said he is unaware of any statewide studies on the impact of dispensaries on crime, but did say that in talks with other suburban police chiefs, none had identified significant problems.
“They have to jump through a lot of hoops to make sure it’s a secure site,” Kaminski said of dispensary operators.
Armed guards will be on duty at all times when the business is open and guards will be present during deliveries, said Ken Bouche of Jensen Hughes, a security consulting company.
“Education is key and we are here to help educate and work with the city and whomever wants to work with us,” said Portia Mittons, vice president of Bridge City Collective and the owner of dispensaries in other states.
The proposed dispensary will operate from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with peak customer times anticipated at the end of the work day, Mittons said.
The proposed dispensary is projected to generate between $5 million and $8 million annually, Jim Straus, managing director for Bridge City Collective, told the Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission in February. The city will collect a 3% tax on marijuana products sold in addition to state and home rule sales tax, according to the ordinances approved by the council.
On-site consumption of cannabis products will not be allowed under an ordinance passed by the city of Park Ridge last year. That ordinance also restricts the number of dispensaries in the city to two.
Developer Hubert Cioromski, the owner of 10 W. Higgins, said he has owned the property for four years and was unable to secure another type of tenant.